Afra Kane contemplates life-and-death questions on her new album Could We Be Whole — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
Produced by Kane with longtime collaborator Christophe Farine, Could We Be Whole immediately affirms the Switzerland-based artist as a captivating and chameleonic new songstress, her intimate and mysterious creative approach marked by virtuosic arrangement, seductive vocal power, and intangible magic. The release coincided with the haunting new single Death In My Dreams, accompanied by a video directed by Kane’s frequent visual associate, filmmaker Élise Gyger.
“The title is very self-explanatory,” says Kane. “It’s based on a period last summer when I had death dreams for 10 straight days. I don’t know where the death dreams came from, I’ve read that it happens when you’re entering a new chapter of your life, as if there are parts of you that have to be left behind in order to move forward.”
“In French you would say the record is very ‘brut,’ ” says Kane, “almost like a rough diamond. It’s more raw than I think people would anticipate and then gets edgier as it goes along. There are some things that might sound a bit nightmarish. And then some things that are more appealing to the soul. I always try to balance my music, between making it digestible but also pushing myself outside of my comfort zone, so it’s a learning experience for me as an artist as well as the listener.”
Born in Vicenza, Italy from Nigerian descent, Kane began playing piano in order to accompany worship services at church but her nascent talent quickly led to an education in classical piano at prestigious conservatoires. Her wide-ranging musical interests soon saw Kane trying her own hand as a singer-songwriter, fusing her classical training with elements of jazz, soul, R&B, future funk, and more to craft a nuanced, cinematic sound that earned her 2019’s Montreux Jazz Talent Award from a jury that included Stanley Clarke, Chilly Gonzales, Carl Craig and Chucho Valdés.
A series of singles drew even more applause and increasing airplay, with Mouth Shut named as BBC Music Introducing’s Record of the Week. 2019’s debut EP Scorpio was followed by international touring that spanned headline dates in New York City and across Europe to a sold-out residency in Hong Kong. 2022 saw the arrival of Kane’s debut album Hypersensitive, which earned her further acclaim for its spellbinding and healing songcraft, rich with expansive production, soulful sensitivity, and Kane’s truly singular lyrical perspective.
Listen to Could We Be Whole above, check out Afra Kane’s videos above, and get more on her website, Facebook and Instagram.
